John 19:11-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
11 Jesus answered [him], “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”(A) 12 Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar.[a] Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”(B)
13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him[b] on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
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- 19:12 Friend of Caesar: a Roman honorific title bestowed upon high-ranking officials for merit.
- 19:13 Seated him: others translate “(Pilate) sat down.” In John’s thought, Jesus is the real judge of the world, and John may here be portraying him seated on the judgment bench. Stone Pavement: in Greek lithostrotos; under the fortress Antonia, one of the conjectured locations of the praetorium, a massive stone pavement has been excavated. Gabbatha (Aramaic rather than Hebrew) probably means “ridge, elevation.”
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